{{Record Search article|location=United States|CID=CID1849623|title=Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War, Index, 1775-1785}}<br>

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{{Record Search article|location=United States|CID=CID1849623|title=Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War, Index, 1775-1785}}<br>

== Collection Time Period ==

== Collection Time Period ==

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This is an index to compiled service records for approximately 80,000 soldiers who served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The records indexed are from the National Archives and Records Administration publication M881.

This is an index to compiled service records for approximately 80,000 soldiers who served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The records indexed are from the National Archives and Records Administration publication M881.

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== Citation for This Collection ==

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The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

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{{Collection citation

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| text =<!--bibdescbegin-->Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War, Index, 1775-1785, index, ''FamilySearch'' ([https://www.familysearch.org https://www.familysearch.org]); from National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. M881. Digital copies from Footnote.com<!--bibdescend--> }}

The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

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<!--bibdescbegin-->Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War, Index, 1775-1785, index, ''FamilySearch'' ([https://www.familysearch.org https://www.familysearch.org]); from National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. M881. Digital copies from Footnote.com<!--bibdescend-->

When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

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A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article [[Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections|Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections]].&nbsp;

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A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article [[Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections|Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections]].

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==== Example of a&nbsp;Source Citation for a Record Found&nbsp;in This Collection ====

Collection Time Period

This collection is an index to records for the years 1775-1785.

Record Description

This is an index to compiled service records for approximately 80,000 soldiers who served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The records indexed are from the National Archives and Records Administration publication M881.

Citation for This Collection

The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War, Index, 1775-1785, index, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org); from National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. M881. Digital copies from Footnote.com

Record Content

Most of the Compiled Service Record index entries include the following information:

Soldier’s name

State served in

Regiment

Type of records in file

NARA publication number, title, and roll number

How to Use the Record

Use the locator information found in the index (such as roll number and the unit served in) to locate your ancestors in the service records. Compare the information in the records to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination. If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names. Keep in mind that even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

When you have located your ancestor’s service record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family.

For example:

Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date.

Use the age and location of the military unit to find the soldier’s family in census, church, and land records.

Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit.

When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:

Check for variant spellings of the surnames.

Search the records of nearby military units.

Record History

This index corresponds to the National Archives and Records Administration publication M881. Compiled Service records were kept for soldiers who served in the Revolutionary War. Each envelope/jacket contains information and cross references to original records relating to the soldier.

Why the Record Was Created

This index was created to provide quick access to compiled service records.

Record Reliability

The information in this index is quite reliable. However, keep in mind that even though this index is very accurate it still may contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings or misinterpretations.

Related Websites

Related Wiki Articles

Contributions to This Article

We welcome user additions to FamilySearch Historical Records wiki articles. We are looking for additional information that will help readers understand the topic and better use the available records. We also need translations for collection titles and images in articles about records written in languages other than English. For specific needs, please visit WikiProject FamilySearch Records.

Please follow these guidelines as you make changes. Thank you for any contributions you may provide.

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections

When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.